The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

Ascalon groaned as he regained consciousness and opened his eyes.

Realizing his body was bound by something, he lifted his head to inspect his surroundings.

“It seems you’ve come to.”

That’s when he met the gaze of a strange human woman, her identity unknown.

If his memory served him correctly, she was the very person who had launched an orb of nothingness at him before he lost consciousness.

Ascalon quickly assessed his condition.

“Binds of Salvation?”

Chains of light sparkled atop a transparent magic circle, snaring his entire body.

Looking around, he saw that his followers were similarly restrained.

“Did you do this to me?”

Lunav merely nodded indifferently.

Earlier she revealed a dark attribute magic orb, and now light magic?

Was this human disregarding the very concept of attribute values?

Confusion clouded his vision, and soon, Besti and Rogers came into view.

They stood five paces from Lunav, giving Ascalon a look mixed with apprehension.

“So, you’re that human who frequents the demon king’s castle.”

“Seems I’ve become somewhat famous without my knowledge.”

Lunav did not deny it.

Rogers approached, glaring down at him and said,

“You owe us a proper explanation, Ascalon.”

With a heavy sigh, Ascalon hung his head low.

“Before I begin explaining, may I ask one thing? Did I just try to destroy Besti’s pendant?”

“It would be more accurate to say you aimed to destroy its wearer rather than the pendant itself.”

Lunav responded with an indifferent face.

Ascalon began to explain, his face heavy with regret.

“I had no idea about the pendant until recently. I only knew that an unidentified human frequented the demon king’s castle.”

Rogers frowned, not quite convinced.

“Do you know that a faction opposing the demon king had recently been in contact with humans?”

“What are you talking about?”

Rogers challenged, jumping at the accusation.

“It appears you were unaware. Recently, the ‘Demos Faction’ stopped all communication with other factions and rumors spread that they were seen with a human. I encountered said human while discerning the truth of these rumors.”

“What human are you referring to?”

“I don’t know his name. He wore a robe that concealed his body, but I saw blond hair and a strange sword at his waist. Not only did he find our base somehow, but he also spoke out of nowhere about Besti.”

Upon hearing this, Besti flinched.

While the clues were only golden hair and a peculiar sword, Lunav instinctively guessed the identity of this person.

“He bluntly stated that if his daughter was in danger, shouldn’t he save her? He then informed about the pendant. That was when things started feeling off. Each time our eyes met, I’d get a headache and feel dazed.”

“It’s similar to when I first got bewitched by the pendant.”

Besti added her own experience to the explanation.

“Clearly, I wasn’t myself at the time. If I were, I would have investigated the facts before acting. Yet, I led my group directly to the demon king’s castle. Perhaps my desire to save my daughter was too compelling.”

Ascalon’s gaze briefly met Besti’s before he quickly averted it.

“I intended to destroy the pendant. But when my magic was unleashed, my mind clouded again. The pendant was all I could see, and my hand reached for it without thought.”

He clenched his eyes shut, recalling the harrowing incident.

“Had it not been stopped, I may have forcibly tried to remove it. I’d rather not contemplate what could have happened.”

He looked towards Besti once more.

“I truly am sorry, Besti….”

Overcome with emotion, Besti’s eyes wavered as she accepted his apology.

“You too were charmed, Father. No one can be blamed.”

Besti forgave him, yet could not bring herself to face him, turning away instead.

“I need some time alone.”

She walked towards the lakefront by herself.

“Lord Rogers!”

That’s when the reinforcements requested from the demon king’s castle arrived.

As Rogers and the soldiers dealt with the aftermath, Lunav approached Besti, who stood silently gazing beyond the horizon.

“How did you know?”

“I overheard your conversation with Rogers in the other room. I apologize for listening without permission.”

Lunav apologized for eavesdropping, but Besti appeared more shocked than upset.

“You penetrated Rogers’s barrier to overhear our conversation?”

“Yes.”

Lunav answered nonchalantly, her abilities were evident in absorbing Ascalon’s magic and now Besti was in awe.

“You’re truly exceptional. If not for Lunav, I wouldn’t be alive now. Thank you.”

She bowed deeply in gratitude.

“You call Ascalon your father…?”

“…!”

“So, you chose to walk a path opposite to his?”

Despite the sensitive topic, Lunav’s inquisitive nature didn’t allow her to overlook the question.

“It wasn’t always opposition. My father was the most delighted demon when I changed Velcaryon. He celebrated the transformation.”

After a brief hesitation, Besti shared her deeper thoughts.

“I don’t know about the human realm, but the demon realm is extremely cruel. Survival is solely based on power, and the powerless are inexorably eliminated. I thought, wouldn’t it be good if the demon king, the supreme being, used his power for the realm? That even powerless demons could live in peace? Velcaryon did change and with it, the demon realm became a better place to live.”

Besti firmly believed the demon realm was currently in its most peaceful era.

“However, at some point, Father opposed this transformed demon king and incessantly demanded my return from the demon king’s castle. I couldn’t understand why. The demon realm had never been this peaceful; why was Father against it? I still don’t know.”

“I’m in the same boat. I’ve been at odds with my grandfather for the same reason.”

Lunav sympathized with Besti’s predicament.

After sharing her struggles, Besti asked,

“How did you become so strong, Lunav?”

“My strength? It’s simply from chasing what I earnestly desire.”

The answer seemed too simple, but Besti could tell it held more meaning.

To keep chasing one’s heartfelt desires – wasn’t that something she had been doing tirelessly?

“I don’t know how you see me, but to me, Besti seems stronger and more incredible.”

“Why would you say that?”

“At least the man Besti longs for recognizes her. I’m still far from reaching mine.”

Lunav expressed her longing, glancing at the distant horizon.

After the lakeside conversation, the two women, alongside the demon king’s entourage, made their way back to the castle.

***

“I won’t report today’s events to the demon king. There mustn’t be any talk of it; not from us, nor from that faction.”

“Do you intend to keep this from the demon king?”

“It’s in no one’s interest to tell him.”

Rogers, who volunteered for cleanup, demanded nothing more than discretion from Ascalon, rather than a large reward or an apology.

“Let me ask you, Rogers. Do you truly think that this changed demon king is better for our realm?”

“I have no intention of responding to a question not worth answering.”

As Rogers turned to leave, he paused and glanced back,

“The peace we have isn’t made by the demon king. It was Besti. You know this, don’t you, Ascalon?”

“Things may seem fine now, but will this peace last?”

Ascalon, his eyes fierce, voiced the feelings he had kept within.

“We demons have survived the cruel lands of the demon realm for thousands of years through ‘survival of the fittest.’ That’s the source of our strength. The very nature of a demon king emerges from these principles; you know this as well as I do!”

Rogers remained silent.

“A peaceful demon realm? Our realm has no need for peace. For our kind to continue surviving, we need a truly ruthless and merciless demon king.”

Rogers didn’t respond; he kept his mouth shut. One thing, however, was certain. The peaceful era of the demon realm could very well be ending, ushering in the most perilous times.

Meanwhile, in front of the demon king’s castle,

“Where have you been, Besti?”

“Vel… Velcaryon?”

Velcaryon greeted Besti with a warm smile as she and the others returned from the lake, an unexpected early return confusing everyone.

“You’re back early?”

“It turned out that way. But why all together, where did you go? Rogers isn’t here either?”

“That’s because… well…”

Struggling to answer, the demon escorts shared awkward glances.

“Why can’t you speak? Is it too hard to say? Should I ask someone else?”

Velcaryon’s gaze shifted to Lunav.

“Then tell me. Where did you and Besti go?”

“Where is your senior?”

Rather than answering, Lunav responded with her own question.

“Why did you return alone? Where did you leave your senior?”

“I’m asking first. Where were you?”

Without Lunav’s response, Velcaryon’s eyes sharpened, a hint of anger igniting within.

“It seems you are all misunderstanding something…”

“Wait, Velcaryon! I’ll explain!”

Besti hastened to intervene, sensing the tense atmosphere,

“Don’t argue and answer. Unless you wish to die!”

Already, Velcaryon’s eyes burned red, consumed by rage and desire to kill.